1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing a magnetic head slider, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for processing a magnetic head slider in which minute protrusions adhered to an air bearing surface of the magnetic head slider are removed by abrasion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic disk apparatuses perform recording/reproducing of information while holding a magnetic head slider on a surface of a recording medium with a certain amount of flotation. The magnetic head slider has a structure such that it is attached to an end of a suspension arm having spring characteristics (the structure is referred to as HGA: Head Gimbal Assembly). A surface of the magnetic head slider facing the recording medium is referred to as an air bearing surface, in which concavity and convexity are formed to cause the magnetic head slider to float by receiving an air flow through the rotation of the recording medium (refer to Patent Document 1, for example).
In a step for assembling a magnetic disk apparatus, a plurality of HGAS are stacked (HSA: Head Stack Assembly) and then inserted into a space with the recording medium. In this case, if protrusions such as burrs exist at an end portion of the magnetic head slider, failure such as damage to the recording medium is caused. Thus, a step for processing the magnetic head slider has an additional step for removing the burrs and the like at the end portion by abrasion using a lapping tape, for example.
Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for performing abrasion by applying vibration to the suspension arm in a state where an abrasive member and the magnetic head slider are brought into contact with each other. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a method for performing abrasion using an oscillation movement in a state where the magnetic head slider is brought into contact with a rapidly rotating disk in which a carbon film is formed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-249375
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 01-092922
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 02-161607
However, the method for removing protrusions as disclosed in Patent Document 2 mentioned above is problematic in that the direct application of vibration to the suspension arm may cause damage to the HGA. Also, the method for removing protrusions as disclosed in Patent Document 3 is problematic in that it may cause damage to the HGA, since the load resulting from the contact with the rotator and the load resulting from the oscillation are applied at one time.
Further, although any methods for removing protrusions disclosed in Patent Documents are effective in order to remove relatively large burrs, they pose a problem in that it is difficult to remove only those minute protrusions in the crystal level, which are dealt with in the present invention.
In particular, with the advance of the development of high-performance and small-size magnetic disk apparatuses in recent years, if minute protrusions exist in the magnetic head slider, the minute protrusions may collide with a magnetic disk and become a factor for inhibiting a good magnetic recording/reproducing process.